For centuries, mankind has traveled on the water utilizing various types of vessels having alternative marine propulsion systems. Exemplary types of marine propulsion systems includes oars, sails and engine driven propellers and power operated jet drives. Marine propulsion systems have not advanced substantially since the screw propeller and most modern advancements are focused on the power source for the propeller or the hull shape of the vessel. It has been identified in numerous different studies that the propeller dissipates energy in various directions and the thrust produced by the propeller is not focused in the most efficient direction to maximize the forward movement of the water vessel. Furthermore, screw propeller operated vessels pose a significant safety hazard to individuals in the water that are proximate the propeller.
Power operated jet drives are utilized to propel water vessels of various sizes and provide another example of the stagnant development in the field of marine propulsion technology. While water jet drives do provide some safety features when compared to screw propeller propulsion systems, jet drives are much less efficient than screw propeller system in transferring the energy input to propulsion power. Additionally, watercraft with these types of propulsion systems have proven to be exceptionally difficult to maneuver at low speeds. Both the propeller and jet drive propulsion systems typically utilize combustion motors that introduce pollutants such as gas and oil into the water systems in which they are operated resulting in potential damage to marine life. These types of propulsion systems further produce a significant amount of noise that can disrupt sensitive marine environments.
Another example of an inefficient marine propulsion system are conventional oars. While used primarily for small recreational boats, oars cannot be leveraged by the user effectively and at least half of the movement required to manipulate the oars results in no forward movement of the vessel.
Accordingly there is a need for a marine propulsion system that provides an improved directional thrust along a vector providing a more efficient propulsion of a marine watercraft wherein the propulsion system further provides a reduced safety hazard to individuals and marine life proximate the marine propulsion system.